packing for India; cold(er) in Pushkar?
 

We're leaving for India in 2 weeks and I'm starting to set out clothes for Delhi, Pushkar (camel fair), Jaipur, Ranthambore, Agra, Khajuraho, Varanasi. I know that November high temperatures for this northern itinerary are TRADITIONALLY in the lower 80s, but can anyone tell me:

1. Are temperatures running higher/lower than normal this year? I've heard the monsoons were later than usual this year; did that affect temperatures?

2. What to expect in Pushkar? We're staying in one of the tented camps. A friend who went a few years ago has pictures of her brushing her teeth while wearing ear muffs and gloves -- she said it was really cold at night! Of course we'll plan to layer -- but I don't want to haul hat, gloves, long underwear if I don't need it!

Thanks for any guidance!!

Delhi has had some cooler than normal daytime temps so far, but that may change again in 2 weeks. However, for sure in the mornings and evenings anywhere in north India from now through March it will be cool to actually cold. This is especially the case in a desert area like Puskhar, where temps could drop 30-40 degrees compared to daytime temps. Long underwear, gloves and a hat take up almost no room in a suitcase but will be very welcome. They are also easy to remove if it get warm during the day. Good thick warm socks as well, for those places where you have to remove shoes but you still want to keep your feet warm (e.g. Taj Mahal at sunrise.) I would absoultey bring them all for winter travel in north India.

Cicerone, are you in Delhi now? I've been following the 10 day forecast for Delhi, Agra and Rajasthan as I'm packing for my trip in a few days too, and it says highs in the mid to high 80s and lows in the high 50s to low 60s. And yes, I double checked that it's fahrenheit LOL.

No, I am not in Delhi now. I was there earlier in October and temps were a bit cooler than normal. In any event, I would not put a whole lot of faith in a 10-day forecast, the best the weatherpeople seem to be able to do ins 24-48 hours..

Thanks Cicerone -- the long underwear, hat and gloves go back on the PACK pile, at least for now. I have "temple socks" in that pile, but the thought of walking across ice cold stone floors may require an upgrade to "warm thick temple socks!"

what did you choose as "temple socks?" Skibumette? We leave on 11/25 and will be travelling in the north til 12/14. Until recently had pretty much been thinking that days would be pretty warm, and that I'd only need a light shawl/jacket for evenings. The other evening we had dinner w/friends who took a very similar trip over Xmas--early January, and they were bundled up in a lot of their photos. Now Cicerone's comments have given me pause. Guess I'll start checking the temperature in Delhi--and put aside some thick "temple socks" for the trip.

Our tour guidelines talk about warm jackets and gloves for December-February. But we return home 12/2 so I just plan to layer. (Temperarure charts, for what they're worth, show 84 high-52 low for November and 76 high-49 low for December. Since we have low-30s at night here now, that doesn't seem so bad.)

For "temple socks" I was planning to use some decent quality tube socks with "tread" strips on the soles (like something you would get in a hospital?) as I don't want to slip and slide on stone floors. I figured they would be easy on-easy off once I slip out of my no-tie shoes.

Thanks, skibumette. Your description of temple socks is very helpful; I'll start looking for some. Any suggestions where to find them?

I suspect mine came either from a hospital or airline (must have been one of those rare times I flew Business, rather than steerage, because these are better than average quality). A luggage store, perhaps in the same section where they sell neck pillows and the like? I was buying slippers for a present in a department store recently; they had "sock slippers" but no tread strips on the soles?

Oh, we have some of those socks from when we've used our miles to fly Business; I'll check them out! I don't remember any having those tread strips, but ya never know! How clever. (I've never noticed them in luggage stores--but will check.)

If the airline ones don't have treads, then mine must have come from a hospitalization -- but I don't recommend a hospital stay just to get a pair!! <grin>